The Angry River - Review

Such a short and sweet story by Ruskin Bond.  I bought the book for my kid but was more intrigued after reading the synopsis.  The story starts with a small family on the island, a grandfather, a grandmother and a little girl named Sita.  She had lost her mother when she was young and Grandmother had taken her under her wing.  This monsoon starts early and already the river is swollen.  To add to this her Grandmother has been ill for 3 days now.  So when the river is fast rising, she is left alone in the island as her grandparents leave for the hospital.

Lonely and scared, Sita follows her Grandfather's instruction to stay alive.  But the river is really angry that it uproots the only landmark of the island, the Peepul tree.  When Sita is spending her last bit of her energy hanging on to the tree, she meets a saviour.  Could it really be the Lord himself who has come to save her?  What happens to her family?  Will she ever return to her island again?  Will she meet her rescuer again?  Read this book to find out.

Ruskin Bond's story along with Trevor Stubley's illustrations are a delight.  The artist has made a very apt detail of the situation in the book.  When I think it is good, my kid says the illustrations could have been more like the Cover art.  Maybe.. from a kid's point of view.  Sita's courage, selflessness and maturity are displayed in apt places.  Her friendship with the doll and krishan has been portrayed very well.  It makes the reader wishing and hoping for Sita's safety and happiness.  A child's bonding with their grandparents is very special.  Especially if they are the kid's surrogate.  You feel an empathy for her loss. 

Here is a beautiful illustration of scenes by Amar Chitra Katha, when they have adapted the contemporary classics into comics.

Petu Pumpkin Tiffin Thief - Review

When Venky sir forgets a students name, he assigns them a nickname.  Hence Pushkin is named Petu Pumpkin.  How apt!  He is seen with a load of colourful tiffin boxes trying to board his school bus.  Even after his grandmother has toiled to make an elaborate array of dishes, he still cannot satiate his hunger.  What happens when he has polished off all his tiffin boxes before lunch? Yes.. you guessed it.. He starts stealing his friends lunches too. 

When his hungry friends cannot take it anymore, they form a secret society to deal with Petu.  They try to come up with ideas as to why Petu is always hungry and how to make him stop stealing their lunches.  Were the Awesome Foursome successful with their plan? What happens to Petu in the end?  Read this novel to find out and become nostalgic if you are an adult.

Arundathi Venkatesh has a knack to capture the class room scene with all the mischief and gossip mongering.  My kid had finished the whole book in about a couple of hours.  He was able to totally connect with the plot and had a few good laughs too.  As for me, I felt nostalgic remembering how we used to enjoy.. err hate the classes, share lunch under the big tree, after school talks and many more.  Though this book is aimed for young readers with ease for reading, I would buy its sequel too if my kid is interested.

Diary of a Wimpy kid

Keeping a diary is very sissy according to Greg Heffley.  But its not his fault that his mother bought him this diary.  He doesn't mind it right now because when he is famous he wouldn't have to waste time explaining every event of his childhood.  So we start the story with Greg moving to middle school and he starts to register the interesting events happening to him every day of every month.

But the story flows so smoothly I really didn't count if he has an entry for everyday of every month.  The main characters are his family and his only friend and side kick Rowley.  He does a lot of things for popularity but at last Rowley ends up getting all the fame. 

The deals with everyday struggles and glee of a middle schooler.  Every kid can relate to it, regardless that this story is based in the USA.  There is bullying, bro fight, school skit and the chaoes that ensues, the parenting and best friends through thick and thin.

My kid, 10 years old, is always on the hunt to borrow a Wimpy kid or a Jeronimo Stilton series.  The highlight of this novel is that it has cartoon that makes it a very interesting read for young ones.  Also the way the author has a perceptive of a kid is amazing.  Every small detail he has recorded here is in the eyes of a kid.  I am amazed at his perception, either he has not forgotten his childhood days or he is really good at understanding the kids.

Either way it was very good.  Apart from a few terms like Halloween, grounding it was a easy read for my kid too.  It is unputdownable (if thats a word??) and easily relatable.  I was nostalgic and had many good laughs.  The book is really funny for both kids and grownups as well!

Kittu's Very Mad Day - Review

This book was the winner of the Children's first contest 2016.  A debut novel by Harshika Udasi focuses on empowering the children with disability.  This was the reason I bought this book.  Hats off to the effort.  This is a Duckbill book for the Young readers and my kid is 10 years old, so fits the bill.  Kittu, the boy with the crutches, is a member of the worlds most chaotic family.  They were on their way to the Ajantha and Ellora caves when the mishap occurs.  Kittu is lost and is rescued by an icecream wala named Madhav. 

Kittu is adventurous and will do anything to stay away from his family at least for a day.  He is happy to stay with Madhav and share his meal with Madhav's daughter Mad.  What first starts as a quarrel between Mad and Kittu turns into a beautiful friendship.  Things take a turn and Kittu does the most heroic stunt of his life.  It changes his life forever with his new found confidence and respect.

The story is a good read instilling courage for the differently abled children while others get a glimpse of how hard their lives can be.  I do understand that the story revolves around a North Indian family but some parts have literal translation from Hindi, which could have been avoided.  I mean a good grammar would help kids get their knowledge as well. 

At one point I thought the facts about the skate park was made up.  Because it was too good to be true, and that too in the middle of a very remote village.  But as if the author has read our minds, she gives facts about the park and the non profitable initiative taken up by a German lady Ulrike Reinhard.  The illustrations were good describing the situations where the words has limits.  A good read for young readers who can imagine this story from a kid's point of view.

My Little Garden

When we were small kids, our house used to have a garden.  And we also used to grow a few plants on our terrace, in the jute rice bag.  Yeah, those were the days when plastic wasn't everywhere.  So everyday it would be my and my brother's (mine mostly) chore to water the plants.  My mother would occasionally go through the weeds and plant new saplings.  I remember her even churning the soil with cow dung as a fertiliser. 

It used to be such fun.  I used to read and write beneath the jasmine creepers during the evenings.  It would be such a pleasant and fragrant experience.  I remember studying hard for my exams under the coconut trees.  Even a harsh may summer afternoon would feel like a breeze sitting on that grass under those coconut trees.  In the evenings, I would spend my lazy hours in the balcony where the coconut tree would fan me the cool breeze.

Summer were the most active time when we would have nothing to read and all time to spend how ever we wish.  During our school days, we would spend the entire evening and part of the night in the terrace.  My mother would go for a couple of hours to prepare our dinner and we would all feed under the moon light or the incandescent bulb.  Such fresh and green memories.  And all of them always had a plant or a tree with it.

After my marriage and my kid, gardening was out of scope.  And mostly it was just a couple of pots.  And between houses I had lost them too, when we couldn't hold on to them due to space.  Now that we have our own, we decided to take on the terrace gardening.

It is not anything new, but still I have forgotten how to tend to plants.  After a few slips our way, we are still learning and enjoying.  It is like seeing a child grow.  And emotionally it so calming and bonding.  I now a days, enjoy most of my evenings with my son in the new found garden.

Now wait a minute.  This is just a humble one.  Don't dream of an exotic one with grass and green house and stuff.  This is a economical yet most satisfying one.  Though my son's studies is taking a dip, I still think it is a good way to relax than to watch those wretched cartoons, movies or serials.

Here are a few pics of the garden.  I will soon try to post about each individual plant as I come by.

Front Pleated Kameez

Well this is kind of late for this update.  I mean I had sewn this dress for my house warming party way back in May 2017.  But I guess its never late to mention the alterations I have made.  I wouldn't say alterations as its just the bling that got replaced.

So we go shopping for dress and I was left with a choices that had hit the market way back and was still trending.  No sign of pleated Anarkali which was creating a buzz throughout.  So when my hubby asked me to quickly choose a dress, I knew I had to sew my own.  I am no expert at this but I can figure out based on a few detailed pictures.

I had to make up my mind on the colour and the fabric, on the spot!  I was literally stumped and colour blinded at the same time.  My brain was buzzing with a hundred different suggestion and I was struggling to make a decision.  Finally I selected a good green in raw silk and a brocade fabric in the same green.  But since I wanted to highlight the pleats, I had to again buy a different brocade in pink.  Also the decision was made because of the net fabric that I had highlighted my yoke part with.

Then comes the important part, accessories or bling.  I was exhausted enough with the shopping for home and the function, so I picked up the first thing I  could lay my hands on.  Believe me, even for this, getting the right colour was a bit tough.  So I kind of went with something you can see on the photo.  I know it looks cheap and what was I thinking.  Ever since it has been sleeping in my wardrobe.  Finally guilt took over and I made some honest effort to find some alternative.  (could have been that or the fact that I was finally getting some ME time in the mall, ALL ALONE, can you believe it??).  I rattled every button shelf I could find and finally the above button showed up, just like that.  It was the right size and it would be a good and decent replacement to that cheap bling.

Now its all ready to wear.  Pardon me for the poor lighting and wrinkled clothes.  What can I say, I
am a old soul in lazy bones.  So may be I will update the proper ironed and neat dress when I wear it (God knows when!!).  Till then bye and do share which version you liked better.

Home Sweet Home

Home.. Just the word bring me many memories of my childhood.  After marriage we had to move around a lot and settling down had not been an option till a couple of months earlier.  We had to settle down somewhere and so we did, in a place that was convenient in all terms. 

We had bought an apartment earlier, but that was not at all convenient (I am not talking about space) so we sold it and started looking for a plot.  Finally we got one within our budget range.  From there it had been a very impatient wait.  But the workers we had were very skilled and patient.  The planning and designing took ages, not to mention the paperwork and the government offices.  Finally we did it.  We had built our home according to our taste and liking.

It was like seeing a baby grow, just faster.  And when we stand in the mere skeleton of the house deciding what should go where, we can actually see our future in the house.  It is a pleasure that I think everyone should enjoy.  Still there are few flaws and dents which I think could have been planned better.  But with the limited space and budget constraints, I am satisfied with what we have

We have tried to incorporate our past and plans for the future in the house.  I think that is what makes it feel special.  The memories we build with the house.  Though its been 5 months (can you believe it... time flies by) I feel so connected already.

We do have a long list of DIYs and tweaks that we would like to do to decorate the house.  But right now the bare walls and the sparse furniture keeps us cosy.

In the meantime I would like to record some of the improvements that has happened since we moved here.

I did not click any pictures for the purpose of blogging, so bear with me when the pics are not up to the mark.

It started from this - an empty ground

To this - a house with its full structures

To this - a house on the brink of becoming a home

Still we are really proud of our house and about the work we had done with it.  We had only gotten help for the elevation.  Even the house plan or the floor plan was designed by us, the engineer had to just tweak a few for the pillars and beams.  So there is no one to blame but us if there is a hitch somewhere. 

Though we are not the decor type we do try and make it a better place rather than an eye sore.  So I shall record some of the DIYs, tweaks and decors we do around the house.  Our home is still very much in its initial stage and needs a lot of attention and spending. We will go about it in our own pace still enjoying life with friends and family.